Ford Using Pranks and Clowns to Reach New Audience

Ford commercials just ain’t what they used to be. But they’re still mighty entertaining.

Without a doubt, Ford has rolled out some of the most iconic ad campaigns in history. From hauling the competition around (literally) to letting Dennis Leary tell you how badass their trucks are. We’ve been told how the F-Series is “Built Ford Tough” for many years. And then we’ve been shown it. But we must admit, the latest ads from the Blue Oval are, well, different. And a little bit silly.

Just take this first spot, dubbed “Pranking with Loni Love.” They feature renowned comedian, um, Loni Love. And the Ford Raptor. And a group of gullible participants. What the participants don’t know is that Love is nearby in a van, directing the whole thing. The results are pretty funny, even if they do appear to be a bit scripted. Even so, they’re light years better than those dumb Chevy “Real People” commercials.

And speaking of Dennis Leary, here’s a new one with his iconic voice-over work. Which shows off the 2018 F-150’s massive towing capability. But instead of doing so by hauling a bunch of horses in that horse trailer, it’s full of rodeo clowns. Kinda silly, kinda terrifying. Depending on how you feel about clowns, of course.

Call us nostalgic (or stuck in the past), but we miss the good old days of Ford commercials. Ones that used over-the-top stunts and daredevil acts to sell us trucks. And we’re not just talking about stuff from the 70s and 80s, either. Take a look at these classic spots from the 90s and you’ll see what we mean!

Makes you want to jump in your F-150 and head out for an adventure, right? But after watching these trucks jump over ramps and get dropped out of planes, we’re guessing Ford had to tone things back a little. You know, for liability reasons. Ah, the good old days. Before people tried to emulate everything they saw on TV!